State Briefs: 11/30/07

Thursday

Nov 29, 2007 at 12:01 AMNov 29, 2007 at 8:11 PM

Daily state briefs package.

Propane truck overturns, forces road closure
MACOMB - A driver's medical condition apparently caused him to lose control of his propane truck Wednesday, forcing the closure of about three miles of U.S. Route 136 for several hours.
Gary E. David, 52, of Carthage was driving east about one mile west of Tennessee at about 10:45 a.m. when he rolled his Chem Gro propane truck in a detour area where construction is ongoing on Illinois Route 336. Firefighters from the Colchester and Macomb fire departments were called in because of the potential for a leak from the truck's chemical tank. They turned off the truck's valve and made sure there were no sparking sources nearby, but said little or none of the chemical escaped.
Traffic on the highway and about three miles of surrounding roadways was rerouted around the impacted area until about 1:30 p.m. A nearby asphalt operation related to road construction had to partially shut down for the day, as well.
Illinois State Police said David had an underlying medical condition that contributed to the crash. Just prior to police being notified of the accident, McDonough County dispatchers received at least one complaint of David's truck driving erratically, almost striking oncoming vehicles. He was treated by rescue workers at the scene. He was ticketed for a motor carrier safety violation.
- Peoria Journal Star
Driver's license offices to open earlier
SPRINGFIELD -- Secretary of State Jesse White announced that his department's facilities throughout Illinois will be open an hour earlier starting next week and ending March 1.
"Changing the hours gives us an opportunity to serve the public while it's still light out," White said.
Late hours for facilities previously open at night one day a week will be eliminated during this time.
- Rockford Register Star
City not digging in with car boots yet
SPRINGFIELD – The city’s "boot" program has not yet come to fruition, but the threat of immobilizing parking-ticket scofflaws already may be making a difference.
City Treasurer Jim Langfelder said the average daily payment between mid-August, when The State Journal-Register first reported that more than 152 people owed the city more than $500 apiece in parking fines, and mid-November was $2,000. For the same period last year, it was $1,800.
City officials said in October that people who owe the city more than $500 in parking fines would be subject to having their vehicles immobilized via parking boots, which attach to a car's wheel and prevent it from being driven.
A total of 106 people qualify to be booted at this point, Langfelder said, but the program hasn't started yet.
- State Journal Register
Five arrested after high school brawl
ROCKFORD - Five Jefferson High School students were arrested Wednesday after a pushing-and-shouting match among a few dozen teenagers erupted in the cafeteria.
No one was reported injured in the incident, which officials said involved two rival gangs and lasted the greater part of two lunch periods.
Jefferson Principal Kenneth Jackson issued suspensions for the five students who were arrested.
- Rockford Register Star
Child shot in leg
ROCKFORD - A bullet passed through the leg of a 12-year-old boy Wednesday night.
The youth is being treated at Rockford Memorial Hospital for what police are calling a non-life-threatening wound.
The youth arrived by private vehicle about 8:15 p.m. at the hospital, where he told police he was shot in the right leg near his knee while walking in the area of Haskell Avenue and Whitman Street.
Police are questioning the youth's accounts of the events leading up to the shooting.
No arrests have been made.
- Rockford Register Star
Peoria Children's museum funding drags
PEORIA - The Junior League of Peoria expects that a matching gift donation from the Caterpillar Foundation will accelerate the fundraising effort for the Peoria PlayHouse children's museum it hopes to bring to Glen Oak Park.
But, with less than half the money raised of its $5.25 million goal - after nearly four years of asking for donations - no one is willing to speculate anymore on when the museum may open for business.
When plans to transform the pavilion at Glen Oak Park into a children's museum were rolled out in February 2004, the opening date was set for 2007.
That's obviously not going to happen. But Fundraising got a boost this week when the Caterpillar Foundation announced it would match any donation from a Caterpillar employee or retiree and make its donation retroactive to June 2006. That would start the matching Caterpillar donation at about $200,000, Cahill said.
Plans for the museum call for six themed areas of interactive play targeted for children from younger than 1 year old to age 8. One of the six will change over time. The five permanent ones, all with relevance to central Illinois, are: "Peoria, Then and Now," "The Sand Porch," "All Constructions Great and Small, "By Your River Gently Flowing," and Illinois and "Family Farm." There are also plans for an outdoor climbing tree, an arts room and a room called "A Quiet Magic Place."
The pavilion building would be gutted and the interior rebuilt. Exhibit space would occupy 8,000 square feet of the 12,000-square-foot building located by the entrance to the Peoria Zoo, which is currently being expanded.
Fundraising for the museum got off to a fast start with a $500,000 donation from AmerenCILCO. An additional $1.5 million has been raised since to bring the total to about $2 million, organizers said.
- Journal Star, Peoria
Navy's Blue Angels likely to return to Peoria
PEORIA - The Blue Angels, arguably the world's most awe-inspiring pilots with the most recognizable fleet of jets, appear to be the headliner for Prairie Air Show 2008.
Air Show Director Brett Krause confirmed the sighting at the Greater Peoria Regional Airport on Wednesday, saying the No. 7 plane and its pilot were in Peoria most of the day to plan a visit here next summer.
The Blue Angels' 2008 schedule, including the Prairie Air Show's request, is on the desk of the commander of the Navy awaiting final approval.
The Blue Angels, the Navy's flight demonstration squad, is comprised of 16 officers and backed by more than 100 enlisted maintenance crew members, who together make the precision, eye-popping aerial maneuvers possible.
The Blue Angels last performed in Peoria in 2004. The air demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines using six F/A-18 Hornets and a C-130 Hercules. The pilots perform approximately 30 maneuvers during the demonstration. The Blue Angels have more than 600 performance requests a year but do less than 20.
Just in name recognition, the Blue Angels alone often bring spectators out to view air performances, which Krause said will be a huge draw for the air show next summer. The three-day event this year drew about 35,000 visitors.
Police tried to locate two men who ran from the area. A police dog was called to the scene, but no one was taken into custody. A handgun was found in front of a house on Millman but it was unclear whether it was the one used in the shootings.
A third man was found either shot or stabbed in the leg in the 400 block of Northeast Adams Street about 10:50 p.m. Police said his wounds appeared to be very serious and described the victim as uncooperative. Authorities found both an entry and an exit wound on his leg.
Witnesses said he was hanging around the Downtown 66 gas station just across from Taft Homes. A trail of blood was found from the station to the Salvation Army Heartland Divisional Headquarters across the street. He was also taken to St. Francis.
- Journal Star, Peoria
Evidence against ex-teacher may be used in McLean trial
BLOOMINGTON - A defense attorney for Jon White, a former Normal teacher accused of molesting 11 students in Normal and Urbana, said evidence from incidents in Champaign County might be used in a McLean County trial.
White, 27, was charged in January with molesting nine second-grade students at Thomas Paine Elementary School in Urbana between August 2005 and December 2006. He was charged in McLean County the next month with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault for incidents involving Twin Cities children.
Champaign County Judge Harry Clem ruled Tuesday that prosecutors may present evidence and testimony from incidents in McLean County to show similarities in the methods allegedly used to molest students.
After a brief hearing in McLean County on Wednesday, White's defense attorney, Brett Olmstead, said evidence from the Champaign case might also be used in the McLean County trial.
In court documents filed in April, prosecutors said the 11 alleged victims reported White blindfolded them and played a game that led to the sexual activity.
Judge Scott Drazewski ruled Tuesday that White will be permitted supervised contact with his three minor nephews at three family holiday gatherings. White has not been permitted contact with minors since his arrest.
Olmstead said a trial in Champaign could begin in February. The McLean County trial would likely follow in late spring or early summer.
- Peoria Journal Star
Springfield's new baseball team still needs a league
SPRINGFIELD - A five-year deal has been signed with the Springfield Park District for a collegiate league baseball team to play at Lanphier Park beginning in 2008, but which league the Springfield Sliders will be in has not been determined.
Springfield was a charter member of the Central Illinois Collegiate League in 1963 until the Springfield Rifles disbanded following the 2006 season because of financial constraints. Feller did not rule out a return to the CICL, but he said affiliation with a different collegiate league - perhaps the 14-team, two-division Northwoods League - also is a possibility.
Sliders owners Clark Eckhoff and Jessie Bolder have been involved with the Wisconsin Woodchucks, a summer collegiate team based in Wausau, Wis. The Woodchucks compete in the Northwoods League, which like the CICL is an NCAA-sanctioned summer league.
Eckhoff is the president and owner of the Woodchucks, while Bolder is the chief operating officer.
Mike Stratton, executive director of the Springfield Park District, said the five-year agreement with the Sliders, approved by the park board nearly a year ago, will allow the team to use the stadium for $300 per game. No up-front money was involved, and changes to Lanphier Park "will be minimal, such as painting it to match their team colors and putting up a new entrance sign with their logo," he said.
- State Journal Register

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